Seahawks’ Tariq Woolen, beat by Kyler Murray, takes it out on Tom Brady

On the bye, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen (reward his holy identify) continues to be very a lot within the dialog for Defensive Rookie of the Yr. And never simply due to this…

…which we are going to get to, and never simply due to the stats, which we are going to get to, however as a result of he’s getting higher, even when the touchdowns are taking place now, as we knew they might. He wasn’t going to skate via his complete rookie yr with out surrendering a pair.

In case you’re within the temper for a go to to the archives, the 4 earlier installments of this collection might be discovered right here:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

You’re holding Half 5 in your hand proper now. Which encompasses seven targets over two video games, however I couldn’t assist myself and included 4 items of bonus footage. Prematurely, you’re welcome. Don’t neglect to tip your moderator.

Week 9: vs. Cardinals (once more)

QTR 2, 10:32 remaining, go full for minus 2 yards

Lovely. Woolen reacts like a caffeinated mountain lion and devours the poor little pink birdie as quickly as he receives the soccer. What I wish to draw consideration to right here is the anticipation. TW falls again into protection, diagnoses the display throughout Kyler Murray’s windup, and takes three steps (depend them!) whereas the ball is within the air. The Seahawks used to have an off-ball linebacker who did that type of shit and blew up a couple of billion screens. Marvel what occurred to him.

QTR 2, 5:58 remaining, go is incomplete

Early within the season, quarterbacks typically gave up on attempting to beat Woolen down the sideline and elected to seek out their receivers in patterns breaking in towards the center of the sphere. It labored, for some time.

Till, in Week 9, it all of a sudden didn’t. One in every of my favourite moments up to now in the entire 2022 marketing campaign is that this go deflection. The 5 interceptions all induce varied ranges of swoonery, however this second represents actual in-season progress, a turning level. And Woolen is even upset at himself that he didn’t make a greater play! A minimum of that’s how I select to interpret his physique language.

QTR 4, 3:35 remaining, TOUCHDOWN to Zach Ertz (6 yards)

After a pair dozen rewatches, I’m nonetheless attempting to resolve if I wish to fault Woolen for giving up the within route. The bigger level, although, is {that a} ball on time with flawless location, to a veteran who is aware of precisely what he’s doing, is exceedingly laborious to defend, even for one of the best DBs within the recreation. A worse throw is perhaps defensed another time; a worse route is perhaps run another snap. Gonna hand it to Ertz and Murray on this one. They’re good, you already know.

BONUS MATERIAL: QTR 2, 0:29 remaining, good communication

Distinction this with what is going to occur within the fourth quarter in opposition to the Bucs downthread.

Again within the opening weeks, Woolen and Josh Jones has barely shared the sphere; at midseason he and Ryan Neal had been simply getting in sync. So encouraging to see them share tasks when it’s seamless like this. Now they only need to get on the identical web page extra constantly. Just one technique to get there: reps.

BONUS MATERIAL 2: Oh no you don’t

The Cardinals left sort out (74) is meant to filter out no matter undersized DB will get in his manner on this toss run play. Spoiler: Tariq Woolen will not be a “no matter undersized DB” and he’s having none of it.

Don’t learn the tweet. It accommodates an unforgivable pun.

An fascinating enjoyable truth is that within the seven go performs instantly previous the landing, Murray appeared left precisely as soon as with the clock working. The opposite six dropbacks he glanced over at Woolen’s facet earlier than the snap after which stored his eyes centered on the opposite facet of the protection. Kyler didn’t even dignify his receiver with a learn till Ertz entered the pink zone.

Finish of the day, Murray went 1-3 for 4 yards and a TD when focusing on Woolen. Contemplating the rating was in rubbish time, that’s greater than acceptable, no?

Week 10: vs. Buccaneers and that Tom Brady fellow

QTR 1, 14:18 remaining, go is incomplete

Just about every thing of import is alleged within the tweet, so 5 fast bullet factors:

• How cool is it that we barely ever see QBs go excessive now in opposition to Woolen?
• Brady wasted no time in testing him although
• A lot of contact downfield, no flag means Woolen is gaining respect with the stripes and controlling the grabby nature that spoiled a few his early video games
• Thank goodness for overthrows
• Julio Jones has nonetheless bought it.

QTR 2, 11:29 remaining, go is full for 4 yards

Whoop-dee-doo.

QTR 3, 7:19 remaining, go is full for 18 yards

Not Woolen’s finest snap of the day. That comes subsequent. Right here he’s slower than traditional to show his head, not that he would’ve had a lot of a play on this pinpointedly correct throw from the GOAT.

QTR 3, 6:39 remaining, INTERCEPTION

Why make you wait? It’s the play of the sport if the Seahawks come again and win, and a motive to smile in the event that they don’t.

Brady was penalized for tripping. However the official mistakenly introduced “Tripping, offense, quantity 12.” Received’t you enable this little itty bitty correction?

Cheaters nearly by no means prosper. There’s at all times that one exception to the rule, although.

BONUS MATERIAL: Everyone Loves Julio

This has completely nothing to do with Woolen, and I don’t care. If we ever need to draft offensive gamers to play protection, I’m taking JJ within the first spherical.

BONUS MATERIAL 2: Barely much less efficient teamwork

Upthread I discussed how Woolen and Josh Jones had been on the identical web page. This time, much less so.

You may make an argument that Mike Evans (13) commits some mild OPI alongside the way in which, but it surely’s a flimsy argument and I dislike it when referees name all of the ticky-tacky stuff. Godwin is simply savvy sufficient to get to the tip zone line, minimize outdoors, and belief that neither DB will be capable of observe him sufficiently. He’s proper, and Brady is on the cash, as traditional. If Jones and Woolen don’t have to change off that’s one other story, however the play is designed to field them right into a selection that frees up the skin receiver. Robust play to surrender when a cease would’ve given the Seahawks new life. However that’s the way in which the wienerschnitzel crumbles.

In Germany, Woolen added to his decide complete and restricted Brady to 22 yards on 2-of-4 passing. Sadly, we didn’t get a “u mad bro” second and should accept a a lot much less satisfying “u quickly unhappy bro.” Little victories.

P.S.: Statistical Recap

Professional-football-reference assigned the ultimate rating above, the Godwin seize, to Woolen, though it seems that he and Jones swap tasks on the objective line. In case you take away that focus on, and it’s greater than honest to take action, quarterbacks have the next line in opposition to Woolen, via ten weeks:

22-41-276-2-5

Completion price of 54 p.c; just below seven yards per try; greater than twice as many picks as teeders. All of it computes to a 51.5 passer ranking. The TDs within the Chargers and second Cardinals video games account for the current rise in Woolen’s ranking in opposition to, which had been 47.1 via eight weeks.

One closing statistical observe considerations the fumble recoveries — Woolen has fallen on two free balls up to now, which might be construed as half luck, half being in the best place on the proper time twice. Let’s not reduce that facet of his recreation: Malcolm Smith received a Super Bowl MVP award proper earlier than our very eyes, largely for being in the best place on the proper time twice.